COLTON – The City Council late Tuesday continued to discuss the process of negotiating an employment contract with its No. 1 finalist for its city manager opening.

As of mid-evening, the council had yet to agree on a final contract for the prospective candidate during a closed session meeting that wasn’t open to the public.

During a break from negotiations, Councilwoman Deirdre Bennett indicated there were council members who had issues with the terms of the new city manager’s contract.

“There are just a few of us who are uncomfortable, I can’t really say any more than that,” Bennett said.

The council has been in the process of looking for a new chief executive since May, when former City Manager Daryl Parrish resigned to become Covina’s city manager. Shortly after Parrish’s resignation, the council appointed Police Chief Bob Miller as interim manager.

In June, the council hired Bill Mathis, a recruiter for high-profile government jobs, with a $18,900 contract.

The “career opportunities” portion on Mathis’ Web site lists the position with an annual salary of “up to $250,000.”

According to a report Mathis provided in September, a high-quality pool of applicants with expertise in financial management had applied, one of the most important criteria the council set for the position.

In October, Councilman Vincent Yzaguirre said more than 50 people had applied for the job.

“This is one of the most critical items we have before us, especially with the issues with the economy,” Yzaguirre said.